Ridgid Gen5X Hybrid Fan Review

Pro Review

Boating best in class air flow and outstanding run time, Ridgid's Gen5X Hybrid Fan is sure to be a favorite on jobsites this summer!

Overall Score4.7
Pro Review

Ridgid didn’t just stop with the Gen5X 5 Piece Combo Kit. They’ve included several other peripheral tools plus a flexible light and the subject of today’s review: the Ridgid Gen5X Hybrid Fan. Falling under the umbrella of TTI, the parent company saw great success with Ryobi’s Hybrid Fan. It’s pretty clear they are looking to continue that momentum as the Ridgid Gen5x Hybrid Fan and Milwaukee M18 Jobsite Fan carry each brand into this category.

The Ridgid Gen5X Hybrid Fan has a few features that make it more than just a passing consideration. One of the most attractive is the hybrid technology, allowing you to use either a Ridgid HyperLithium 18V battery pack or an extension cord.

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It also boasts a variable speed dial, allowing you to dial in the fan speed that suits what you need at that point. I definitely prefer that over Ryobi’s 2 speed dial. However, it’s been so hot and humid here in Central Florida that high is the only speed any of us want it on!

There are some other big wins for the Ridgid Gen5X Hybrid Fan. The retractable rafter hooks are an excellent addition. They hide in the frame when you don’t need them and easily hook in a variety of ways when you do. I had the fan hanging off of a 2×6 today, but it can easily grab a hold of fencing as well. Feel free to use the threaded tripod mount or screw boss underneath the frame for areas where the rafter hooks aren’t as welcome. 240 degrees of head rotation should leave you with with ability to get the airflow in any direction you need it.

The handle is another win for Ridgid. Rather than molding a handle into the frame and maybe adding some rubber overmold to it, the Ridgid Gen5x Hybrid Fan has a rubber handle attached to the top of the frame. The fact that it’s not rigid plastic means that it will conform for a comfortable grip no matter when size hand you have or if you’re wearing gloves. There may be a durability issue over time with it, but don’t forget about Ridgid’s Lifetime Service Agreement.

Ridgid claims that the Gen5X Hybrid Fan is the “quietest and more powerful professional fan in the industry.” I can’t attest to that since we haven’t had the chance to test everyone’s fan yet. I can say that in our testing, it is surprisingly quiet on high. When it comes to airflow, it’s pretty impressive as well. The specs say it’s pushing 475 CFM and I believe it. The true test of a fan is the “put it underneath me and let it ventilate my shirt” test. Also known as the “Hello ladies, have you noticed my massive chest muscles?” test. So maybe that’s too much information, so we’ll just say that I was very well ventilated and not at all inclined to move.

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Run time is impressive as well. Ridgid tells us that we can expect 30 hours of run time on low. That’s a nice breeze in the Cabana while I sleep in a hammock, but not what we’re using it for. While building a deck in the 98 summer sun we got 6 hours and 24 minutes on high without a break. That’s the kind of performance we’re really excited about.

All in all, Ridgid did a great job with the Gen5X Hybrid Fan. I really don’t have any complaints about the design or performance. There’s certainly a trade off that was made though. By going with mainly plastic parts, there could be some durability concerns on the jobsite, particularly in drop situations. Ridgid did a good job with the design given the material they chose though. The other direction would be to start going to metal parts, increasing both the weight and the price in a hurry. Given that we haven’t had a single durability issue with Ryobi’s Hybrid Fan construction in the past year, we don’t expect to see any from Ridgid’s either.

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About The Author

An avid endurance athlete, Kenny has competed in triathlons (he's an Ironman) and various other fitness activities. Still, his passions lie with his faith, family, friends, and his love for well-designed power tools. With a background in science, you'll often find Kenny chatting up engineers at media events to get caught up on the latest tool technology.